The Tale of Briar Rose
by bloodrosered
Summary: AU. On the night of Stefan's betrayal, Maleficent becomes pregnant with his child. Filled with rage, she plots revenge against Stefan while teaching her daughter to hate humans. Forbidden from leaving the Moors, a rebellious Briar Rose sneaks out and meets a young Aurora and they form a secret friendship.


Stefan had returned to the Moors. After they had talked, Maleficent forgave Stefan for his folly and ambition. And all was as it once was many years ago. While the two young lovers sat in front of the pond, watching the fire fairies dance on the surface and lighting up the water lilies. Stefan decided to kiss Maleficent. Their passion began to grow. As they became more intimate, Maleficent stopped him.

"Stefan," she breathed. "I...I haven't done this before."

Stefan nodded. "Neither have I," he said. "I...I know how it's done though."

"Will it hurt?" she asked.

"From what I heard, yes," he said. "I can go slow."

The fairy and the peasant soon joined in passion as they made love.

After Stefan had stolen her wings and abandoned her, Maleficent was left alone. She screamed and cried as her soul and heart were filled with grief and betrayal. She laid for hours beneath the rowan tree, consumed with thoughts about how she shouldn't have trusted Stefan. Her heart hardened. How foolish she was to give herself to him when she should've known all along that he belonged with his kind. She felt she didn't deserve to live here in the Moors. Groaning with pain, she began to stand up. Her legs buckled weakly and her balance was off since she wasn't used to walking without her wings. It hurt so much that she collapsed to her knees. Panting, she saw a fallen rowan branch and picked it up between her fingers. She watched as it began to grow into a large walking staff. She smiled, pleased to see her magic was still there despite her wings being gone.

She leaned on the staff, walking slowly. It still hurt to walk. The wounds on her back were fresh. She had to keep going. She didn't deserve to live in the Moors. She felt bitter with each painful step. The fairies and creatures watched as their protector leave, confused. They whispered among themselves about why she was leaving. And who would protect the Moors now that she was gone? She was the strongest and largest of all the fairies.

She got stronger as she continued to wander aimlessly through the human lands, heading towards a snowy mountain. The cold wind didn't seem to bother; numb with bitterness and hate. She began to plan how she would take her revenge on Stefan. On the humans. She climbed the rocky mountain, heading towards a crumbling castle that had been abandoned years ago.

And she stayed there for weeks. It wasn't until then that she noticed she began to feel different. She felt sick and threw up. She dismissed it and thought that it was just her feelings about the loss of her wings.

The sickness continued for quite a while. She reflected and thought about it. She and Stefan had made love the night of her betrayal. Her stomach had grew a bit since she had left the Moors. She felt something move inside. It was alive!

She was with child! It was almost impossible to believe. Her emotions were mixed as she realized that she was with child and alone. She was angry that Stefan had done this. This child would be his-the spitting image of him! Maybe with his hair and her eyes. Who knew? She hated this child. Maybe be rid of the miniature Stefan once it was born.

Yet who could she talk to?

A crow had been following her for a couple of weeks while she spent her time alone. She would shoo him away with a blow of her magic, casting him out of her kingdom of isolation. She continued to look out at the castle in the distance. Her hate growing more and more, knowing Stefan was out there somewhere with her wings.

As the months passed and her belly grew, she couldn't help but feel bittersweet-hate for the child since it was Stefan's and yet she couldn't understand why she was feeling love. She wondered as the child grew inside her: would the child be more human or have fae features? Would it have wings like hers? Horns? She'd close her eyes and imagine what the child would look like. Dark hair. Green eyes. Fairy ears. Maybe some wings that were the same color as hers.

While wandering the human lands, she found the crow, trapped in a net by a human farmer. He taunted the bird along with his barking dog. Humans disgusted her. They had no regard for any kind of life. She watched as the farmer was about to strike the bird with his walking stick when she whispered, waving her hand.

"Into a man!"

The bird transformed into a naked, filthy young male; his bird features melting away. The farmer panicked, fleeing in fear along with his dog. Naturally the young man was angry.

"What have you done to my beautiful self?" he demanded.

"Would you rather I let him beat you to death?" Maleficent quipped.

"I'm not certain," he said with a frown.

"Stop complaining. I saved your life," the fairy replied matter-of-fact.

"Forgive me," the young man said ashamed.

"What am I to call you?"

"Diaval. And in return for saving my life, I am your servant. Whatever you need."

"Wings. I need you to be my wings. I need you to fly to the castle and find someone. His name is Stefan. Last I heard, he was living at the castle

The young man bowed. "As you wish, mistress."

Maleficent waved her hand and transformed him back into a crow. Diaval flew towards the castle...he was gone for quite a while, watching what occured in the castle. Diaval witnessed this Stefan as he was crowned king and was married to the queen. He told Maleficent what he had found out-in a rage, she realized he had stolen her wings so he could become king. A bolt of green light shot towards the sky as she screamed with rage. Abandoned and with child! Stefan was going to pay.

She returned to the Moors with nothing but rage in her heart. The creatures and fairies cowered in fear as they watched their protector return. The rowan tree began to form a twisted throne for her. She declared herself Queen of the Moors-no one was going to dare defy her. The creatures of the Moors bowed to their new Queen.

It became apparent throughout the rest of the month, Maleficent's belly began to grow. The creatures were unsure how to feel about their Queen's baby. Maleficent refused to speak of it. She continued to have mixed feelings about this child-it would be a half-blood. She distanced herself from all the creatures, placing her hands on her growing belly, debating whether to keep it or kill it. She still couldn't make a decision. It would have part of her...and part of HIM.

* * *

On the night of the child's birth, she pushed with each rolling contraction. The creatures watched and some helped. They waited until the child was born. With a final push, the child came forth. A girl. She scooped the child up, drenched in fluids and blood, gazing upon the infant that wailed. It was covered with dark hair. It's eyes were green like hers. It gazed upon Maleficent. Her ears were not as pointed as hers. She hadn't developed any fae features-no horns. And she was sad to see she had no wings.

"She's beautiful," said Robin, a puck.

Maleficent continued to look on her child with a mingle of resentment and love. She was Stefan's. And yet...she was all hers. Feeling the first motherly instinct, she kissed the infant's forehead.

"Briar Rose," she said. "You're mine."


End file.
